


Sea Salt & Caramel

by Biromantic_Nerd



Category: Spider-Man - All Media Types
Genre: (As always but I'm gonna tag it now), Autistic Peter, Friendship/Love, Gen, Lighthearted, Nonbinary Character, Nonbinary Peter, Nonbinary Peter Parker, One-Shot, Oneshot, Other, Pre-Relationship, Precious Peter Parker, Trans Johnny Storm, trans johnny
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-30
Updated: 2017-03-30
Packaged: 2018-10-07 21:36:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,964
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10369968
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Biromantic_Nerd/pseuds/Biromantic_Nerd
Summary: "Give meonegood reason." Peter crossed their arms and glared, waiting. "Just one.""Aesthetic." Johnny nodded solemnly."Oh my gosh." Peter groaned, throwing up their arms. "That's your reason? The reason that I should ditch school to go to the coast with you? Aesthetic?"Johnny was undaunted. He waggled his eyebrows. "Aesthetic." He repeated, his grin teetering on the edge of not being able to contain himself about to burst into laughter.





	

 

"You know what sounds like a good idea?" Johnny said without preamble, as he plopped down on the free chair next to Peter in the library before school began. 

 

"Good morning to you too." Peter said in amusement.

 

"Me. You." Johnny paused dramatically with each word. "Going to the coast."

 

Peter looked up from their book. "The coast?"

 

Johnny nodded quickly. "Just you, me, and the sand between our toes. What do you say?"

 

Peter shrugged. "Yeah, sure, whatever. When we you thinking on going? June? July?"

 

Johnny shook his head. "Today."

 

Peter cleared their throat. "What?"

 

"Come onnn, Pete, let's go have an adventure! Skip town and relax on a sandy beach!"

 

Peter shook their head. "I'm sorry, Johnny, but I can't just ditch school."

 

"Peterrrr." Johnny pleaded. "Come on."

 

"Listen." Peyer sighed. "I can't just - what am I supposed to tell my aunt? 'Oh yeah, school was extra oceanic today!' It's just not happening! I wouldn't be able to explain to her if I just drop all my responsibilities and -

 

"But Aunt May agrees with me!" Johnny interrupted.

 

Peter froze. "What do you _mean_ Aunt May agrees?" They asked suspiciously. "You've been talking to my aunt??"

 

Johnny waved a hand dismissively. "I already got her permission. We're both excused from school until Thursday, when we have to be back for some assembly or something."

 

"Wha - what?? But it's Monday!"

 

"I'll drive us to the coast today, and you can even sleep in the car!" Johnny explained eagerly, as if Peter wasn't flabbergasted. "Then, tomorrow, we have the whole day! And we'll drive back on Wednesday night."

 

Peter's hands gestured around themself in agitated movements. "You can't just make plans! Without even asking me!"

 

"But I asked Aunt May, and she said yes!"

 

"You didn't ask me, and I say no!" Peter combatted.

 

"Well, that's why I didn't ask you!" Johnny protested.

 

Peter made an offended noise.

 

"Come on! The trip will be good for you! Sunshine! Some peace and quiet! A mini vacation!"

 

"I don't need a mini vacation!" Peter said hotly.

 

"Your shirt's on backwards." Johnny said pointedly.

 

Peter looked down. "Oh. But still - "

 

"It's also inside out." Johnny raised an eyebrow. "And you didn't even notice just now when you looked at it."

 

Peter paused.

 

"That doesn't prove anything." They said firmly, an angry frown on their face.

 

"You called me Spiderman last Tuesday." Johnny stared at Peter. "Right before you proceeded to correct yourself to Flameman."

 

"So I was tired!" Peter protested. "I get flustered when I'm tired; everyone knows that!"

 

"You've been exhausted." Johnny corrected. "For months. You need a break. Not just from - " Johnny made a subtle thwip-thwip motion. "But from everything."

 

Peter sighed. "I'm fine. So if you don't have anything else to say - "

 

"I didn't want to pull this card, but you leave me no choice." Johnny shook his head. "You bonehead, you just don't know when to give up, do you."

 

Peter angrily narrowed their eyes.

 

"Go on. Give me _one_ good reason." Peter crossed their arms and glared, waiting. "Just one."

 

"Aesthetic." Johnny nodded solemnly.

 

"Oh my gosh." Peter groaned, throwing up their arms. "That's your reason? The reason that I should ditch school to go to the coast with you? Aesthetic?"

 

Johnny was undaunted. He waggled his eyebrows. "Aesthetic." He repeated, his grin teetering on the edge of not being able to contain himself about to burst into laughter.

 

Johnny took a deep breath and visibly tried to calm himself down and reign in his giddiness from the joke.

 

"In all seriousness, Peter," Johnny said. "You really need a break. Like now. Not this weekend, not next month. You need a break today. Heck, you needed a break _yesterday._ "

 

Peter shot him an unimpressed look.

 

"Hey, all I'm say is: you can't keep running yourself into the ground. And I'm not the only one who's noticed. Why do you think Aunt May was so onboard when I suggested it?"

 

"Well, gee, I wouldn't know since you apparently went behind my back and talked with her!" Peter exclaimed. 

 

Johnny frowned. "Me being concerned for you and her voicing her agreement is totally different than talking behind your back about you. We care about you."

 

Peter deflated. "Okay, I only half meant that. But still."

 

Johnny gave Peter sad eyes.

 

"How," Johnny lamented dramatically. "Am I supposed to tell Aunt May that you didn't listen when I told you we were concerned, and I couldn't convince to to go so as to give her some peace of mind? And how - "

 

Peter sighed. "Okay, okay, stop, stop." They took a deep breath.

 

"We leave tonight." Peter amended reluctantly. "Stay the day at the coast, and come back tomorrow night."

 

Johnny grinned. "You're the best." He declared happily. 

 

Peter grumbled. "Yeah, yeah."

 

"And Peter?"

 

"Mm?"

 

"You're gonna have a good time."

 

Peter scrunched their face up. "Sure."

 

___________________________

 

Peter twisted the chapstick lid until until came off. Then they twisted it back in. And then they twisted it back on. And then right back off.

 

Twist, twist, on. Twist, twist, off.

 

"Uh, Pete?" Johnny asked questioningly after thirty minutes of silence except for the noise of Peter twisting the lid.

 

"Do you want me to stop for ice cream?"

 

Peter's hands stilled for a second.

 

They resumed twisting, twisting, twisting. But Peter was grinning. "That sounds nice." Peter said finally.

 

Johnny's face lit up. "Awesome!"

 

______________________________

 

Peter made a displeased face as they took in the crowded parking lot.

 

"Hey, hey, I'll go in." Johnny assured them. "No people contact or sensory overload needed." Peter breathed a sigh of relief. "What kind of ice cream do you want?"

 

Peter wasn't sure. "I'd say 'suprise me' but I don't know if I trust your judgement."

 

Johnny put his hand over his heart. "I am positively wounded."

 

Peter made shooing motions towards him. "You promised me ice cream, so, hup hup."

 

Johnny laughed. "Okay, okay!"

 

Peter was sitting in the car for a long time, blasting the air conditioning because even though it was spring, it had been rather humid lately.

 

And Peter isn't saying that the sudden knock on the window startled them - but they jumped and spun around to see Johnny at the window, two cones in his hands and a plastic grocery bag around his wrist.

 

Peter rolled down the window. "Uh - "

 

Johnny handed them their ice cream. "I hope you like 'sea salt caramel'. If not, you can trade it for mine. I got chocolate banana." He grinned and then went around to his own side of the car witjout further ado.

 

Peter looked at the ice cream cone speculatively as they rolled the window back up. They hesitantly took a bite.

 

"Oh." They said in pleased surprise.

 

Johnny got in the car and stared at them expectantly.

 

Peter blew out a gust of breath. "Yeah, okay, you're forgiven for this whole - shebang and shedoodle."

 

Johnny laughed. "Good! Then this won't seem like bribery!"

 

They handed Peter the plastic bag.

 

"I saw it and immediately had to buy it for you."

 

"Thank you?" Peter peered inside the bag. "Huh."

 

Johnny exictedly exclaimed, "It's a squeeze thing! But - "

 

"- but it's my face." Peter nodded, staring at the Spiderman stress toy in their hand in bafflement.

 

"I thought that - since all you have right now is the chapstick, ai thought you'd like it." Johnny explained. "To stim with."

 

"Ah." Peter said simply, even as they felt a wave of fondness for their friend. They gave the toy a tentative squeeze. Spiderman's eyes bugged out. "Yeah." Peter said in disgust. "I'm not using this."

 

Peter turned to Johnny. "It's sweet of you, it is. But this - " They lifted the toy and squeezed it in Johnny's face. "- is kind of gross, dude."

 

Johnny shrugged and took a bite of his ice cream. "I thought it was cool."

 

"They you should have bought yourself the Johnny Storm one too."

 

Johnny seemed embarrassed. "There wasn't one."

 

Peter blinked. "Do you want this one?"

 

Johnny seemed appalled. "Why would I want to squeeze your head?" Their ice cream cone tilted precariously.

 

"What made you think _I_ wanted to squeezed my head?" Peter rebutted.

 

Johnny paused. "Oh. Huh."

 

Then Johnny frowned. "Dang it. I got ice cream on my tank top. And my bra strap. Ah geez."

 

Peter squinted and eyed the grungy, do-it-yourself tie dyed tank top dubiously. "Trust me, you really can't tell unless you're looking for it."

 

Johnny shoved the rest of his ice cream in his mouth ungracefully and proceeded to buckle his seatbelt, cheeks bulging.

 

He then said something that Peter assumed was supposed to be, "Let's get this show on the road." But who could tell for sure.

 

_______________________________

 

 

Peter eyed the identical beds and thought. "Left one."

 

Johnny immediately flopped on the right one dramatically with a tired groan.

 

"We're gonna have - so much fun tomorrow." Johnny declared, face smushed somewhat against the blanket.

 

Peter nodded. "What's the agenda?"

 

Johnny sat up.

 

"Well is there anything you want to do in particular?" Johnny asked.

 

Peter pondered that. "Not realy."

 

"Well, let's get up early, go down to the beach, and watch the sunrise. Then we can decide things as they happen? Take it easy and relax. Maybe go back to the beach and watch the waves. Sound good?" Johnny listed.

 

Peter nodded. "I've never seen the sunrise come up over an ocean before." Peter realized, looking forward to it.

 

"See?" Johnny beamed. "This trip was a good idea. Now let's get some rest. We're going to be up early."

 

_______________________________

 

The next morning was gentle but disorderly as they made to get ready.

 

"Peter." Johnny called drowsily from the bathroom. "Do you have the toothpaste?"

 

"What - you didn't pack any? I literally had no notice for this trip, and I still brought some."

 

"Ah, thank you." Johnny smiled as Peter handed him a tube.

 

Peter leaned against the counter. "Have you seen my sundress anywhere?"

 

Johnny shook his head.

 

"Huh. I wasn't sure if I packed that or not, but I must not have." Peter mused.

 

Johnny spat into the sink.

 

Peter sighed.

 

"Your watermelon shirt is on the tv though." Johnny informed them. "You threw it there when you were looking for your floral shorts."

 

Peter hummed. "Alright, thanks."

 

"I've got pink board shorts you can borrow if you'd like? I also have blue." Johnny offered.

 

Peter nodded. "Yeah. Yeah, thanks. Pink and watermelon are - matching. Nice."

 

Johnny grinned.

 

"Well, come on. If we don't get a move on, we're going to be late for our date with the sun."

 

______________________________

 

A slow jogger meandered their way across their line of vision, and Peter idly watched the way their hair bounced, bounced, bounced in the long ponytail until they had crossed pass where Peter could see them without turning their head to look. 

 

So Peter was back to looking at the ocean, the soft blueish gray that gently wisped, wisped white foam with each lazy motion. 

 

They sunk their toes further into the cool sand, wiggling experimentally as the below layer they had entered seemed colder around their bare feet. 

 

Nearly forgetting themself, they almost leaned back to rest their weight on their hands, languid and pleased. 

 

Peter blinked as their hands were caught before they could touch the sand and balance their weight on them. Johnny shrugged, looking both mildly embarrassed and completely unrepentant; the mixture of the easy, careless shrug of his shoulders and the abashed smile combined with the unexpected physical action took Peter more than a moment to sort out. 

 

"The sand." Johnny loftily said, as he still held on to Peter's hands gently, one arm having stretched across Peter's back to do so. The motion of having reached to stop Peter's left and right hand had left Johnny closer, and Peter had to stare at him over one shoulder or twist their torso to look. 

 

Finally Johnny seemed to realize that Peter was perpetually left slightly off balance, and he let go. Peter sat up straight, bringing their hands to rest awkwardly on their elevated knees. 

 

"Your hands - the sand - " Johnny suddenly seemed to gain all of his sense of embarrassment at one. His ears were turning pink. "I didn't want your hands to get sandy?" The explanation came out sounding more like a question. 

 

"Huh." Peter said, and then turned their head forwards to look back at the water. 

 

Johnny stared, waiting. 

 

"Huh like 'oh that makes sense, Johnny, thanks for saving me from sandy palms - you're my hero!' or huh like 'wow that's stupid, Johnny, go drown yourself in the ocean and have the mermaids laugh at you.'" 

 

"Wha - what?" Peter's head swiveled back to look at Johnny. "Oh my gosh?" Peter said, taken aback. "No, no need to - I mean, what the heck, dude - drown in the ocean? Mermaids? No? You're - fine." 

 

"Are you sure though?" Johnny asked, poking Peter's arm to ensure he had their attention. "Are you suuure though? Like, really sure?" Peter swatted at his hand. "Because I will, Peter, I'll let the mermaids drag me to a watery grave, just say the word, Peter, so make sure that if you're sure that you're surely sure that you surely understand how sure you surely are - "

 

"I changed my mind." Peter interrupted, nodding solemnly. "The mermaids can have you." 

 

Johnny let out a shocked noise. "I've been betrayed."

 

Peter looked at Johnny and then muttered quietly, "...Are you sure?" 

 

Johnny wheezed. 

 

"It wasn't that funny." Peter protested, but their smile was pleased. "Really, it was like four out of ten, to be honest." 

 

Johnny lightly shoved at Peter. "Hey, don't insult my best friend." 

 

"I wasn't, and - c'mon, stop that!" 

 

Johnny sighed in exaggerated impatience. "Fine." He said, and rolled his eyes. Then he froze. 

 

"Uh, Pete." He said, and he sounded extremely sheepish. "Hypothetically," He began saying slowly. 

 

"Oh boy." Peter muttered. "Here we go." 

 

"Hypothetically, mind you," Johnny said, as if painfully aware that Peter was also fully aware that the following situation was obviously not being said as hypothetical. "What would you say... if we had just missed the sunrise because I was talking about mermaids?" 

 

"What?" Peter gasped, turning back to look, and - 

 

The beginnings of the sun's curve was kissing the ocean's horizon line as it woke up with the morning. 

 

The pale light coming from it didn't really extend very far yet. Everything mostly seemed the same blue color it had been for the last two hours. Except for the smidgen of radius around the sun, a quiet light around the beginnings of a slow going sunrise. 

 

"Oh." Peter murmured softly. 

 

"Yeah." Johnny breathed, sounding pleased. 

 

"You're a jerk." Peter said without any real heat inflected in the sentence, as their gaze stayed on the sunrise. 

 

The sunrise that, clearly, they had not missed. 

 

"Yeah," Johnny agreed easily, "But you love me." 

 

Peter didn't say anything. 

 

The sun slowly began to illuminate the world. 

 

They fell into a comfortable silence, watching the morning light and breathing in the still cold air, as the ocean softly wisped, wisped tranquilly. 

 

It was, Peter thought, peaceful. 

 

The beach didn't become crowded, per se, but with the rise of the sun also came the arrival of more people. Slowly but surely, it seemed to fill in almost unnoticeably until suddenly the quiet ease of the morning's silence was replaced by the sound of footsteps. 

 

Peter sighed. 

 

"Ready to go then?" Johnny asked, sounding understanding. 

 

Peter nodded. 

 

"I do, you know." Peter said, and they determinedly looked at their shoes in their hand and the way their fingers gripped them tightly. 

 

"Hmm?" Johnny hadn't heard. Or, hadn't understood. 

 

"I do." 

 

"You... do." Johnny repeated, sounding confused. 

 

Peter was torn between not saying anything further or clarifying. 

 

"Yeah." They said eventually, and stubbornly looked at the way their feet pressed indents into the sand as they walked. 

 

"Ah. Okay." Johnny still didn't understand. But he seemingly was going to let it go, and Peter was relieved. Probably. 

 

____________________________

 

"Wanna go grab some coffee?" Johnny asked, grinning up at Peter, half contorted as he struggled to balance on one leg and lift the other leg to tie his shoelaces.

 

Peter covered their amused smile with one hand as they watched Johnny flounder around, hopping like a baby bird.

 

"Coffee sounds great." Peter said, and Johnny immediately squinted at them.

 

"You're totally laughing at me." He accused, completely spot on.

 

"Yeah." Peter agreed easily. "I am." They grinned. "So, you mentioned coffee?"

 

Johnny rolled their eyes as they finally straightened up. "Yeah, but that was _before_ you were rude and disrepected me and my honor."

 

"What honor?" Peter teased.

 

"God, you're right." Johnny said, shaking his head slowly. He let out a hefty sigh. "I guess I'll have to go capture the Avatar to gain some honor."

 

"If you're Zuko," Peter curiously said. "Who does that make me?"

 

Johnny thought about it.

 

"Well," He decided slowly, beginning to walk away from the beach parking lot as he did so. "I would say, I guess - hey, Pete! Are you coming or do you want me to bring your coffee back?" Johnny asked when he turned and Peter was still three steps behind.

 

"Oh! I thought you were pacing." Peter easily caught up the miniscule distance.

 

Johnny laughed. "I don't _pace_ when I'm thinking. I go out flying."

 

"You're such a liar?" Peter protested. "I've _seen_ you!"

 

"Okay well that time doesn't count!" Johnny decided. "I usually fly!"

 

"Pffft." Peter rolled their eyes. "Okay, whatever."

 

"You know what then." Johnny said petulantly. "You're The Cabbage Guy"

 

"What?" Peter asked in shock.

 

"Yeah! You heard me!"

 

"How?" They wondered.

 

Johnny waved a hand. "Because you don't get to be someone cool, you nerd."

 

"Well, then, then you're - shoot, hold on, it's been a while since I've seen it." Peter's righteous anger - or at least irritation - deflated as they had to pause.

 

"Oh hold on, my phone says we need to turn left here." Johnny said, and they moved to the side of the sidewalk to cross.

 

"You're... those villagers that throw Aang in jail. And something something about fried dough." Peter said finally.

 

Johnny cocked his head as he thought it over. "Uhh... okay, not gonna lie, I haven't seen it in a while either, and I have no idea what you're talking about."'

 

"Also." Johnny chuckled, as he scratched the back of his neck. "I never actually finished watching it? Just a few episodes here and there."

 

"Noooooo." Peter groaned. "Seriously? But, but - augh. No. We need to - fix this. Aaaugh."

 

Johnny laughed brightly, over the soft noises of distress Peter was making. "Well, I mean, when we get back to New York, we can have a marathon. I'll buy the dvds, and we can - make a weekend or two out of it. Sound good?"

 

Peter gave a low hum.

 

Johnny grinned.

 

"Last turn, and we are here! Sweet caffeine, here we come!" Johnny promised, turning his head to smile bright and wide at Peter.

 

Peter grinned.

___________________________

 

"So... are you having a good time yet?"

 

"Well," Peter seemed to ponder the question for longer than Johnny thought necessary; before they finally relented. "It's better than math class."

 

"You dork." Johnny laughed, tossing his head back as he did so.

 

Everything that Johnny did was vivacious. He seemed to not know how to live any other way but in extremities.

 

"You _like_ math class though." Johnny retorted, grin wide and pleased.

 

Peter smiled ruefully. "Ah well. Then this whole - " Peter made a vague, circling gesture with one hand, "- thing has been better than, like, the sewer."

 

Johnny snickered. "Nuh nuh nope." He shook his head. "I don't believe you, Mx. Grumpy Pant. I think you're really Mx. Having A Good Time But Don't Wanna Admit It Pants."

 

"Well," Peter leaned back in their chair. "You've caught me. I changed my name to I'm Not. Got married to a nice lady, and I took her last name, even though it's quite long."

 

"I'm Not..." Johnny mumbled. And then visibly mouthed it silently to himseld as he tried it combined with the last name. "You're such a dork, Peter!" Johnny exclaimed, face lighting up as he understood the joke.

 

"They say you're the company that you keep." Peter nodded.

 

Johnny nearly shrieked in glee. "Peter, Peter, my pal. You're on fire. You're as on fire as - as me!"

 

Peter shook their head. "You're really laying it on thick, aren't you? What's the catch?"

 

Johnny immediately began to splutter.

 

Peter calmly waited; they scooped out a melting piece of ice from their cup and crunched down on it while Johnny continued to cough.

 

"Catch?" Johnny managed to croak out finally. "There's no catch." 

 

Peter rolled their eyes. "C'mon, Flamebrain." They said patiently, reaching for another ice cube. "Fess up." 

 

"I'm _trying_ to be _nice_!" Johnny protested. 

 

"Oh." Peter said, hand frozen midair with the ice cube for a moment, as they stared at Johnny, before they ate it. 

 

Johnny looked mortified. "Did you seriously think that me being nice is such a weird thing that it meant I was trying to bribe you?" 

 

Peter shrugged, suddenly uncomfortable and maybe feeling a tad bit guilty now. "Maybe?" 

 

"Oh my gosh." Johnny's head thunked dramatically on the table. 

 

"Are - are you gonna be okay?" Peter worried. 

 

"Oh, sure." Johnny waved a hand in Peter's direction without raising his head. "Give me, like, thirteen more seconds." 

 

Peter blinked. "What?" They asked, taken aback. "That's kind of oddly specific and - "

 

A waiter approached the table with a cheerful, "And _here_ are your refills!" They eyed Johnny in a mildly curious way but didn't comment as they placed down the two new, fresh coffees and swept the old ones away with a graceful ease. 

 

"Oh, uh, thanks." Peter said, glancing between the waiter that was halfway already across the patio, and Johnny, who had one eye open and peering up from their position on the table to look at Peter. 

 

Johnny finally raised his head. "More coffee?" He chirped pleasantly, seemingly chipper once again. 

 

Peter's eyes narrowed. 

 

"You're _definitely_ trying to bribe me." Peter decided. They grabbed their iced coffee anyways. 

 

Johnny grinned innocently.

 

"Well, since I've been found out," Johnny shrugged. "I may have - may have been trying to butter you up a bit. I want to take stupidly hipster photos at the beach for Instagram." 

 

Peter mulled it over. "Okay...but why does that include bribing me?"

 

Johnny smiled charmingly. 

 

"Oh, oh, no." Peter said, shaking their head as they began to realize where Johnny was leading with this. "I'm not - no." Peter waggled a finger warningly. "I said no." 

 

Turning off the smolder now that there was no use, Johnny sighed and rolled his eyes. "Not even one photo?"

 

"No." Peter shot down instantly. "Nuh uh." 

 

"Okay but what about, like, just our feet side by side in the sand?"

 

Peter had opened their mouth to instantly shoot it down but paused. "Okay, _one_ photo." They relented. 

 

Johnny punched the air cheerily in victorious celebration. 

 

Peter silently thought that was overkill; but, hey, Johnny was into theatrics and all that jazz. Even if Peter personally thought it was a bit cheesy, it did - admittedly - made Peter feel a stupid rush of fondness for stupid Johnny and his stupid gestures and his stupid smile and his stupid cuteness.

 

_______________________________

 

And, well, if Peter let Johnny post half a dozen photos of them, slightly sunburned and smiling, it didn't mean they were glad Johnny and Aunt may had been in cahoots and had set up this whole - shindig.

 

Really.

 

And if Johnny, decidedly not sunburned and grinning, claimed otherwise, then he was a liar.

 

Really.


End file.
